Heavy Throwing Knife Review

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Avery P.
Silent Watcher over the Peaceful Lands
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:18 am
Location: Harmony, N.C.

Heavy Throwing Knife Review

Post by Avery P. »

Heavy Throwing Knife Review

Heavy Throwing Knife Review
by Avery Pierce

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Stats

Overall Length - 13 5/8"
Blade Length - 8 1/8"
PoB - 7 1/4" from tip
Blade Width - 2 1/16"
Blade Thickness - 3/16"
Blade Material - Carbon Steel
Handle Thickness -1/2 "
Handle Material - 1/8" Leather Scales
Weight - 18 1/2 ounces
Price - $15US or 3 for $40

Introduction

I recently placed an order to Ragnar over at Ragweed forge. Among other things, I picked up a set of three heavy "bowie" type throwing knives. I've thrown knives of one type or another since I was a kid. I've never cared for the "arrowhead" shaped throwing knives, they just don't fit my throwing style. No, I've always been a Bowie type fella. The problem is, there's not really alot of options out there for a guy like me. Oh there's plenty of stainless Bowie or high carbon jobs out there, but not many that are made for throwing. The problem with those knives isn't the blade, it's the handles. Almost all Bowie have wooden or bone handles. Great for show, or while you use the knife, not so good for throwing. This problem has been addressed very well with these throwing knives. More on this in a bit.

History
Although blades have been thrown throughout history, to my knowledge there's no example of Jim Bowie making a throwing knife. These types of knives have only gained popularity in the past couple of decades. Having said that, I strongly doubt a mountain man at a rendezvous would've hesitated to bury his long knife into the bladder of an enemy at four paces, if given the chance.


Upon Arrival

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As I've said, I ordered these from Ragnar. I placed the order over the weekend and it was shipped on Monday. I received my package on Thursday. Ragnar has an exemplary track record with me, he always does a great job. The package carrying these knives (along with the rest of my order) arrived in a very well taped and secured box. After unpacking the contents I found the knives to be wrapped a second time.
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After opening the paper wrapping, I found the knives to be wrapped yet again in plastic.
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I removed the knives from the wrapping to find them covered in packaging grease. After wiping the grease away, I went outside and dry handled a couple of them.

First Impressions
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The first thing that struck me about these knives was the weight. Coming in right at 18oz's these are heavier than some of my axes. These ain't no Pansy knives, I knew they would do some damage to the target as soon as I had one in hand. I've always had a habit of throwing my Bowie the same way as I do my axes, and I knew from handling these that they could stand up to the punishment.

Handle

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The single biggest problem with throwing Bowie knives is the handle. 99% of all the Bowie handles out there are not made to withstand the rigors of throwing. They'll either bust all apart or the tang just won't stand up to the punishment. What sets these knives apart from the herd is the tang width and the handle material. The tang is a full 1 3/8" wide, which lends itself to a good grip. Added to which is the leather scales held on by threaded rivets. You can see the thickness of the handle in the picture below.
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Certainly no worries about busting the handles on these. Even though the look of the knife is severely changed by the thin black leather, I'll take it over wood any day. The 5 threaded rivets make it extremely easy for replacement should the leather wear out, get cut/ripped by another knife or just plain wear out.

Blade
Where to begin.. The great thing about this blade is that it's high carbon steel. It can take the beating from being thrown over and over and keep on smiling. The second greatest thing is that it comes completely unsharpened. The only thing remotely sharp is the tip. Every thing else has about a 1/16" blunt face. This comes in handy when throwing from 6 paces.

Throwing
(Video if requested)
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The pacing from the target on these is between 4 to 4 1/2 steps from the target. This makes these perfect for throwing in tandem with an axe. When being thrown from four paces, I find it best to grip the handle basically the same as I do an axe and follow through on my throw the same way. Also, if you practice a seven pace throw, the blade is completely blunt so gripping the blade is no problem. Even though the blade is blunt, the tip is sharp enough to bury deep into the target. With minimal force I got great results. In the above picture, I was attempting to over rotate one throw, throw clean on the next and on the last let the knife under rotate. I did this by taking a 1/4 step between each throw. The picture below shows throwing from the same step every time. You can tell my first throw was a little weak, it nearly under rotated too much. The other two hits did fairly decent, IMO.
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Pros
1) Very durable blade.
2)Tough leather handle made for easy replacement.
3)Perfect for throwing the one/two axe/knife combo.



Cons

1) Made in India.
2)Completely unsharpened(might be a turn off to some).
3) Doesn't come with a sheath.
4) Maintaining the tightness of the threaded rivets every session.



Conclusion
If you're looking for a good Bowie type knife for throwing, I gotta admit these are pretty darned good. They're durable, cheap and fun to throw. The are, however, made in India from an unknown (at least to me) forge. Cosmetically they're a Spartan no frills tool. Some may that as a turn-off. Me, I like it. A true case of function over form.
If it be a sin to covet honor,I am the most offending soul alive.
- W. Shakespeare
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